Calligraphic device



J. G. KING AND J. E. HEFFERNAN.

CALLIGRAPHIC DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 1920.

1. ,36 1,874. Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

I VENTOR ATTORNEY UNITED STATES SPIATENT OFFICE.

JAMES G. KING AND JAMES E. HEFFERNAN, OF SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN.

CALLIGRAPI-IIC DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

Application filed February 9, 1920. Serial No. 357,138.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, JAMES G.K1Nc and JAMES E. HEFFERNAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Superior, in the county of Douglas and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in calligraphic Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to devices for assisting in the acquiring of the proper poise of ones hand in writing, and is especially designed for use by pupils, in the art of correct writing.

The principal object is to produce an instrument of this character having advantages of construction and adaptability not formerly known in the art.

Another object is to produce such an instrument susceptible of ready adjustment to hands of difierent proportions.

Still other objects and advantages of the peculiar construction will become evident in the further description of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of our present invention as applied to a pen-holder.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a hand properly positioned by the use of the device.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention here illustrated the device is constructed of spring wire, wound into preferably four concentric groups of coils, 1, 2, 8, and 4, there being two turns of the wire in each group. The end of the wire of which the instrument is formed, which extends forward of the group 1 and indicated at 5, is somewhat abruptly turned or bent inwardly to form a more secure contact with the object upon which the instrument is used, then normally exists in the coils, and the same is true of the opposite end 6 of the wire, back of the group 4, and these terminations are bent slightly away from their respective groups so as to render them easily adjustable when necessary for engagement with slightly different sized pen holders or pencils, so as to readily provide the proper frictional contact therewith.

Intermediate of the groups of coils l and 2 is formed a thumb supporting loop 7 being slightly diagonal in disposition to form a convenient and comfortable rest for the ball of the thumb. Intermediate of the groups of coils 2 and 3 is formed a laterally proj ecting loop 8 somewhat horizontally arched to comfortably support the base of the central fingers of the hand, and intermediate of the groups of coils 3 and at is a substantially transverse depending loop 9 having a horizontal upwardly-arched central portion 10 which forms a saddle upon the inner portion of the thumb of the hand, thus when the instrument is applied to a pen and the latter held within the hand it will rest normally in the saddle at the base of the thumb and the ball of the latter, by engagement with the loop 7, will naturally maintain the proper vertical poise of the loop 8, resulting in the correct positioning of the writers hand and coordination of all of the muscles thereof, in conjunction with the fore-arm.

It is apparent that the instrument being made of resilient spring wire is susceptible of adjustment intermediate of the groups of coils, so that if any one of the three loops above referred to are not of just the proper width or relative position they may be easily changed to fit the hand.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described for teaching penmanship, comprising a member composed wholly of spring wire and including a loop for engagement with the ball of the thumb, a laterally disposed loop for'supporting the central portion of the hand from the under side only thereof and a depending upwardly arched saddle for engagement upon the base of the thumb.

2. The combination with a pen-holder or pencil, of a positioning member adapted to be clasped in the hand and c posed of spaced groups of coils of wire, there being a loop of the wire intermediate of each successive pair of coils for the proper positioning of the hand.

3. The combination with a device of the character described having means for slidable engagement with a pen or pencil, of means extending substantially at right angles to the axis of the first mentioned means and at the forward end thereof for engagement by the ball of the thumb, similarly extending means at the opposite end of the first mentioned means for engagement upon the base of the thumb and a third similarly extending means disposed at substantially right angles to, and intermediate of the other extending means for supporting the central portion of the hand, substantially as described.

4. A spirally formed Wire pen or pencilholder of the class described having formed integrally therewith, and at either end thereof, an inwardly abrupt bent termina- 5 tion of the Wire for frictional contact With the object engaged.

5. A spirally formed pen or pencil-holder of the class described comprising four groups of coils for engagement about the 10 object held; a laterally projecting arched loop intermediate of the two inner groups of coils, and tWo thumb-engaging loops extending at substantially right angles to the arched loop, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof We hereunto afiix our signatures inthe presence of tWo Witnesses.

JAMES G. KING JAMES E. HEFFERNAN.

Witnesses: JEAN S. MARsH, PETRA JENSEN. 

